All My Children Commentary

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The Best and Worst of All My Children 2013:
We've come to the end of another year, and once again we're saying goodbye to All My Children. This week we take one last look back at the things t... Read the column now...

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Mateo responded coldly to Gillian's inquiry about why Hayley was poking around Raquel's motel room. He snapped that what Hayley does is of no concern to Gillian. Ryan entered the room and told Gillian that Mateo was trying nicely to tell her to mind her own business. Gillian spun around and snarled that she doesn't follow anyone's orders. Gillian turned back towards Mateo and explained that Hayley had committed a crime by breaking into Raquel's room. Ryan accused Gillian of following Hayley around, but Gillian insisted that she had dropped by the Pine Cone to visit her "friend." Ryan's eyes suddenly widened. He couldn't believed that his wife was conspiring with the enemy. Gillian blasted Ryan for telling her who she could befriend. Ryan bent over and hoisted Gillian over his shoulder. He lifted her into the air while at the same time apologizing to Mateo for his wife's idiocy. Mateo couldn't help but crack a smile and shake his head at the display before him. Hayley returned home a few minutes later and asked Mateo if Ryan was "wearing a fur coat or was he carrying Gillian over his shoulder." Mateo's face failed to crack a smile. He wasted no time in asking his wife where she'd been. The guilt must have gotten the best of Hayley because she crumbled easier than a cookie. She admitted that she'd broken into Raquel's room and awaited Mateo's subsequent tirade. Instead of hollering or throwing a tantrum, Mateo pulled his wife close and gave her a big hug. Hayley was surprised by Mateo's reaction. This was in no way meant to signal that Mateo condoned his wife's actions. He advised her to stay clear of Raquel until the fiasco was safely behind them. Hayley confessed that her private investigator background made her want to rustle up some dirt on Raquel. Hayley told Mateo about the duffel bag Raquel had hidden under her bed---and the "Max" name tag on the handle. Mateo found it all very interesting and announced that he was going to confront Raquel. Mateo asked Hayley to call Trevor and to ask him to meet him at the motel. He also mentioned Harold's death in passing. Hayley was upset by the news and wondered if there was anything she could do to make her uncle's family feel better.

Raquel rested in her hotel room unaware that a parade of visitors were minutes away from her doorstep. Ryan, still carrying Gillian over his shoulder, showed up at the motel demanding answers from the two women. Ryan blasted Raquel two-fold, once for disregarding his warning to steer clear from Hayley and Mateo and a second for roping Gillian into her scheme. Oddly, Gillian stuck up for Raquel---even when face to face with her angry husband. Raquel finally fired back, reminding Ryan that Hayley had broken into her room. Ryan didn't argue the fact that Hayley had done something wrong. He told Raquel that she should have called the police if she was so concerned about what Hayley had done. Ryan cast a cold stare at his wife and informed her that he was leaving. He told her that he would carry her out if she did not leave under her own power. Gillian warned Ryan that she'd bite him if he even thought of touching her. Disgusted, Ryan turned and stormed out of the room. Raquel sighed slightly. She looked towards her sort-of-friend and remarked that Ryan loves her deeply. Gillian's face wrinkled up and her head snapped back. How could Ryan love her, she asked, if he carried her around like "a sack of potatoes." Raquel didn't have to say anything---Gillian suddenly realized that Raquel was right. She excused herself and chased after her husband. Alone, Raquel could only hope that Mateo would someday feel that strongly about her. Lost in thought, Raquel dropped to the floor and hugged her mysterious duffel bag. She shook herself out of the fog when she heard a knock at the door. Her face lit up when Mateo called out from the other side. She rushed to open the door and to let Mateo inside. Matt wasted no time. He told Raquel that he knew that Hayley had broken into her motel room---but he also knew that Raquel was hiding something. He told her that he knew all about the duffel bag and someone named Max. He demanded answers, throwing back the fact that Raquel had sworn that she always told Mateo the truth. Raquel turned her back and closed her eyes.

In Topeka, Kansas, Kit led Edmund to her family's home. The modest home was decorated from floor to ceiling with photographs of Kit, newspaper clippings, trophies, ribbons, and dolls, among other things. Seeing the memories made Kit fearful of confronting her father. She told Edmund that she could not turn her father's life upside-down by accusing him of, what in effect was, kidnapping. Edmund wasn't about to let Kit back down. Kit held up a doll with a "Miss Topeka" banner wrapped gently around its torso. Kit had apparently been entered into numerous beauty pageants when she was little. Kit hated every minute of it, but she never said anything because she did not want to upset her parents. Edmund continued to look around the living room. He accused The Fishers of having destroyed the Montgomery family. Edmund momentarily lost himself in Kit's story. He told Kit that Jack's life, in particular, had been altered by what the Fishers had done. Jack, he said, has spent his whole life thinking that he allowed his sister to die. He told Kit that she can only imagine what it's like to lie awake at night wondering how life would have been different if you were there to "save her." Of course, he'd crossed over into his own life and was referring to Maria's death. Nathan returned home and was overjoyed to see his daughter. Kit wasn't as thrilled. She blurted out that she wanted to know if she was really his daughter. Nathan brushed off Kit's questions and asked why Edmund was there. Nathan became infuriated when Edmund asked him to answer Kit's question. Nathan explained that the articles were just another example of his wife's "packrat" trait. Edmund looked around at the items carefully displayed around the room. Suddenly, he realized that there was something odd about the pictures. The pictures perfectly detailed Kit's life from age five to about age seventeen. There were no chronicles of Kit's life prior to age five. Nathan paced around the room as he tried to fend off Kit and Edmund's accusations. Edmund told Nathan that no parent is perfect. As a parent himself, he knew that well. What a good parent should do, he continued, is tell the truth. Now, he said, was the time for Nathan to come clean and ease his mind.

Tad waited atop the Statler Building for---someone other than Dixie. The cool night air had Tad shivering, but perhaps some of his shivering was nervous anticipation. Jake arrived with a broad smile on his face and a little box tucked inside his pants' pocket. The box contained an antique ring given to Tad by "Grandma Kate" Martin. Jake wondered why Tad had waited so long before letting the ring see the light of day. Tad guessed that he'd been too scared to ever give the ring to someone---especially Dixie. Now, however, he felt that his decision to give Dixie the ring proved once and for all that he wanted to spend his life with her. Tad still faced the possibility that Dixie might not show up. Jake mused that Tad was "arrogant, conceited, and stupid sometimes,"---all perfect reasons for Dixie not to choose Tad. In Tad's defense, however, he joked that Tad sometimes told half-decent jokes and that he was almost as handsome as his younger brother. That younger brother, of course, was Jake. Jake didn't want it to appear that he was taking Tad's situation lightly. He became serious for a few minutes and told Tad that when the chips are down, he knows that he'll always be there for him. Tad told Jake that he felt fortunate to have him as a brother and said that he would be eternally grateful to Joe and Ruth for making him a part of the Martin family. Jake didn't want to break up the mood, but he knew that he'd better get a move on before Dixie showed up---and he was sure that she would. After Jake left, Tad sat alone on the roof playing with the ring. "It's you and me, Dix," Tad smiled. "Together... forever."

Dixie made a surprise appearance at Braden's apartment. She was slightly out of breath and had a strong need for a glass of water. Braden, who was very surprised to see that Dixie was still in town, gladly let her into his apartment. He handed her a glass of water and watched curiously as she gulped it down. Dixie noticed that Braden's bags were packed and asked him if he was moving. Braden smiled and said that he'd spoken to Palmer and secured a job at Cortlandt Electronics. Dixie was happy for the young man and had actually offered to talk to Palmer on his behalf before learning of Braden's new job. Dixie took a second gulp of water and this time polished off the glass. Dixie asked Braden if she could take a few minutes of his time. Braden was concerned by the way Dixie had guzzled down the water. Dixie said that her excess walking had helped her work up a thirst. Dixie sat down and asked Braden if he believes that a couple should try to make their relationship work---even of one of them broke the other's heart. Braden firmly announced his opposition to such relationships. He said that if a person hurts someone they love once, they'll hurt them again and again. Dixie touted a person's ability to change. She said that she'd changed a great deal after having her son. Something about Dixie's tone of voice and references helped Braden figure out that the man in question was actually Tad. Dixie admitted that her biggest fear was that Tad would break her heart again. Dixie told Braden that Tad was probably up on the roof of a nearby building. Braden interrupted her and remarked that he doesn't believe Tad is ready to leap to his death. Dixie laughed and said that she and Tad had made an arrangement to meet atop the Statler Building---and that she did not mean to imply that Tad was suicidal. Braden asked Dixie what would happen if she decided not to meet Tad on the rooftop. Dixie surmised that she'd return to Pigeon Hollow, resume her teaching career, and life peacefully. Braden thought that that sounded quite nice. For Dixie, however, it wasn't that easy. She said that by returning to Pigeon Hollow, she would be giving up on the hope that she and Tad could get back together. There would be no waiting for some to call, no songs that would bring back memories, no letters. Braden smiled and said that it sounded to him like Dixie had made up her mind. Dixie smiled broadly and gave Braden a big hug. She thanked him for listening to her and told him that she'd see him in Pine Valley. Dixie asked if she could use Braden's phone. He nodded and told her to lock the door on her way out. Dixie placed a call to Adam and told him that she'd be in New York for a few more days. After concluding her phone call, Dixie looked at herself in a mirror and determined that she needed to fix herself up before heading to the top of the Statler Building. Dixie sat down at the table and touched up her make-up. Now happy with the way she looked, Dixie rose and headed for the door. Dixie blinked her eyes rapidly several times and held the side of her head. She felt very dizzy and was unable to stay balanced. She sat down in her chair and told herself that something was wrong---"very wrong."

Perhaps hoping that his daughter had come home to see him was a little too much for Nathan Fisher to ask. Kit didn't try to hide the reason for her visit. In fact, she was quite forward with her announcement that she needed physical evidence to warrant the DNA test. Nathan was appalled by the implication that he should appear before a judge and testify that he kidnapped Kit. "Not in a million years," snapped Nathan. Kit told her father that she knew it wasn't easy to own up to wrongdoing. She took a deep breath and, against Edmund's request that she not revisit the sins of her past, told her father about her more nefarious deeds. Kit confessed that she'd been running scams and then used that money to help the Fishers get by. Nathan was unfazed. He asked Kit if she was trying to make him feel guilty. He went on a several-minute long diatribe of how he and his wife had done the best they could to raise Kit. Kit shook her head and insisted that she was not trying to diminish her parent's parenting. What she did want clear, though, was that she always felt separated from the rest of her family. Kit reckoned that "on some level," perhaps a subconscious one, she knew that she was not the Fishers' daughter. Edmund stepped in to explain how he fit into the equation. He explained that he'd had his child "borrowed" not once---but twice. He knew, he said, what it felt like to lose a child and presumed that the Montgomery family had gone through the same pain. Nathan was not appreciative of Edmund's lecture. In fact, it rather infuriated him. He claimed to have been recently diagnosed with a "heart condition" and asked that they stop their witch hunt. Edmund wasn't about to harass a man with a bad heart, but he wanted the truth to come out once and for all. He stated that if Nathan wanted to play "hardball," he would fight back equally as hard. If Nathan refused to part with the truth, Edmund said that he'd have no other choice but to seek a court order to exhume Kit's mother's body. A DNA test would then conclusively prove whether or not Kit was biologically a Fisher. Both Kit and Nathan were opposed to the idea. Kit argued that her mother had always treated her well and that disturbing her final resting place was unthinkable. Nathan turned on his daughter and told her that her quest was intolerable. From that point forward, he snapped, he no longer had a daughter. Nathan stormed from the room. Kit broke down in tears and wondered how she would ever learn the truth. She decided that the best thing to do was the head back to Pine Valley and hope that Nathan ultimately decided to tell the truth.

Back at Wildwind, Gillian insisted that she meant no harm by talking to Raquel. Ryan, of course, saw things a bit differently. He accused his wife of wanting to cause trouble for Hayley and Mateo. Gillian became nasty and said that Hayley should "move her skinny backside out of the way" and let Mateo and Raquel be happy. From the doorway, Hayley frowned as she told Gillian, "You'd better smile when you say that." Gillian's eyes widened slightly, but she kept surprisingly calm. Gillian said that she was relieved that Hayley had overheard her because she was tired of having to play nice all the time. Hayley admitted that she was sick of Gillian too---and went as far as to ask Gillian why she was still living in a house where she was not wanted. Ryan held up his hand as if to ask Hayley to stand down. He told Hayley that he would speak to Gillian and settle things. Hayley nodded and left the room. Ryan sat Gillian down and told her that the problems they were experiencing were in no way related to Hayley---he did not love her and he did not want to be with her. Ryan explained that he was pulling for Mateo and Hayley because their relationship was the first relationship he'd seen where both husband and wife loved each other. Ryan's parents, he explained, were always at each other's throats. Gillian wondered when Ryan had become such a big fan of "love" considering that he was unable to say the word. Ryan rolled his eyes and told Gillian that he was not afraid to use the word love---he was just unsure what it felt like to be in love. Gillian started to accept the fact that Ryan might be unable to say the words, "I love you." She came up with a plan that would convince her that Ryan loved her while at the same time accommodating Ryan's inability to utter those three little words. She told Ryan that she wanted them to move out of Wildwind. Ryan was opposed to the idea because he didn't think that his salary could support the type of lavish lifestyle that Gillian wanted. Gillian groaned that Ryan didn't want to move because it would mean that he wasn't under the same roof as Hayley. Ryan snapped back that he would not take orders from anyone especially not "the woman I---" Ryan ended his sentence abruptly. "Love?" Gillian asked softly. Ryan said nothing. Gillian's need to hear "I loved you" sent her overheard. She petulantly begged Ryan to tell her that he loved her. "Tell me! Tell me!" Gillian chirped over and over. "Do you love me?" Ryan put his hands over his ears and shouted, "No! I don't!" It took him several seconds to realize what he'd said. When he tried to undo the damage, it was too late. Gillian told him that she would no longer waste any of her time on a marriage that was never meant to be. She stormed out of the room, leaving Ryan to stand alone and think about what he'd just said. He plopped down on the sofa and was unaware that Hayley had entered the room and started talking to him. Ryan shook off his daze and asked Hayley if she needed anything. Hayley asked Ryan if he'd seen Mateo because she was worried that things with Raquel might have gone sour.

In New York, Tad continued to wait for Dixie to arrive. He was certain that she wouldn't let him down, but with each passing minute some of that certainty faded. Finally, the doorknob on the access door twitched and Tad breathed a sigh of relief. Unfortunately, Dixie wasn't the one to walk onto the roof. A young, recently engaged couple walked onto the roof unaware that they were sharing space with Tad. Tad cleared his throat to alert the couple to his presence. After a brief discussion to explain why he was standing on the roof by himself, the couple decided to let Tad alone. The woman was carrying a bouquet of flowers, presumably given to her by her fiancé. She handed them to Tad and told him to give them to his ex. That way, she smiled, they'd serve a much more needed purpose. After the couple left, Tad went back to waiting---and there was still no sign of Dixie.

At the Pine Cone, Mateo had to make Raquel feel guilty about keeping secrets before she even contemplated telling him about Max. Raquel explained that she had never anticipated that Mateo would have moved on with his life and found another "wife." Now, she sighed, it was hard for her to explain certain things. Raquel explained that she had expected her reunion with Mateo to be much, much different. She took a deep breath and told Mateo that she would tell him all about Max. But before Raquel could tell her tale, a knock sounded on the door. Trevor had finally arrived, but his timing was far from perfect. Raquel was furious with Mateo for having Trevor stop by the motel. She felt that having Trevor there somehow detracted from the trust she and Mateo were supposed to share. Mateo begged Raquel to finish her story and to tell him about Max, but Raquel said that she was only going to tell Mateo about Max because she'd thought that they trusted one another. Trevor urged Raquel to come clean. Raquel turned her back and blurted out that Max was her cousin---her father's brother's son. Mateo didn't recall Raquel having a cousin named Max. "You didn't remember we were married either," Raquel snapped. Raquel explained that she'd borrowed the bag from Max and forgotten to remove the name tag. As for the conversation Hayley had overheard, Raquel claimed that she and Max were like brother and sister---and that she often called him darling. Trevor warned Raquel that she'd better not be lying. A team of private eyes, he said, could dig up all the dirt on Raquel within a few days. Raquel's cheeks flushed. She told Trevor that he could have whomever he wanted poke around in her past. Nothing, she growled, would change the fact that Mateo was the only man she'd ever loved and the only man she wanted to be with. Mateo's suggestion that Raquel move on fell on deaf ears. Frustrated, Mateo and Trevor left. Raquel closed her eyes and locked the door behind the men. She walked to a second bedroom and smiled. "What are we going to do?" She asked aloud as she sat down on the edge of a bed. She gently ran her hands through the hair of a young child fast asleep in his bed.

Dixie struggled to stand. She lumbered her way across the room to the sofa. Dixie's breathing was erratic and her legs threatened to give out from under her. Dixie told herself that a few minutes of rest would make her feel better. She laid down on the sofa and closed her eyes. Dixie slept for an undetermined amount of time, but it could not have been terribly long. When she woke up, she again struggled to her feet. Still uneasy, Dixie knew that something wasn't right. Her breathing became even more rapid and by now her hands were shaking uncontrollably. Somehow she summoned up enough strength to reach for the phone. She helplessly dialed Tad's cellphone, but before she could tell Tad that she needed help, Dixie fell lifelessly to the ground.

The sun slowly rose over the Manhattan skyline. It cast a somber shadow on a figure sitting alone atop the Statler Building. Tad spent the night on the rooftop hoping that Dixie would show. In his mind, he recalled the agreement he and Dixie had made; if one of them did not show up, they would accept their decision and they'd never talk about it. Tad shook his head and refused to just let Dixie walk out of his life. Tad headed to Dixie's hotel and burst into the room through the slightly open door. A woman was looking over the room to make sure that everything was in order. When Tad burst into the room, the woman told Tad that the room was occupied and that he was trespassing. Tad shushed the woman, saying that he knew the woman who was occupying the room. The woman, who introduced herself as the hotel manager, stunned Tad when she told him that the room was occupied by a pair of newlyweds. Dixie, he learned, had checked out the day before. Tad pressed the manager for information about where Dixie might have gone. The manager sighed and announced that Miss Cooney had called down to the front desk for flight information to West Virginia. Something didn't add up. Tad knew that Dixie would never fly back to Pigeon Hollow without Junior. Tad explained her relationship with Dixie to the hotel manager and asked her if she'd ever seen the film "An Affair to Remember." The manager rolled her eyes and told Tad that she didn't have time to discuss old movies with him. Tad took a few seconds to explain to the woman that he and Dixie were supposed to have met atop the Statler Building---just like (or very close to) the film. When Tad misidentified the stars of the film, the woman cringed in horror. She seemed almost appalled that Tad had never seen the film. The hotel manager broke down in tears as she recalled the dramatic finale of the film. Carey Grant waited atop the Empire State Building for Deborah Carr, who had been delayed and unable to arrive at the preset time. Cary heard faint sirens from his perch above the city but was unaware that the sirens were headed to pick up his lover, Deborah, after she'd been hit by a truck. Tad realized that something similar could have happened to Dixie. Tears still welled in her eyes, the manager, who had originally been very cold to Tad, begged him to use the hotel's phone to make sure that Dixie was not in a hospital.

At Cortlandt Manor, Palmer was pleased as punch when he learned that Braden had gotten up early and worked out a deal with one of Cortlandt Electronic' biggest suppliers. Somehow, Braden had managed to get the supplier to agree to "eat" their shipping costs. In return, Cortlandt Electronics had to agree to purchase more product---but the electronics company was expected to save well over two million dollars. Palmer broke out the cigars to celebrate Braden's coup---but the celebration was short-lived. Braden made a passing remark regarding a comment Dixie had made to him. While chatting with Braden, Dixie had jokingly said that working with Palmer would shave several years off of Braden's life. Palmer was intrigued by Dixie and Braden's discussion. Unaware that the news would set off fireworks, Braden casually mentioned that Dixie knew that Palmer had not delivered her note to Tad. Palmer demanded to know why Braden hadn't told him that Tad and Dixie had been communicating. Braden's eyebrows raised and he looked at his employer in confusion. He was unaware that he was supposed to be spying on Dixie. Palmer demanded a blow-by-blow account of not only everything that had gone on between Tad and Dixie, but also of the conversation Braden had had with Dixie. Braden informed Palmer that Dixie was contemplating getting back together with Tad. The rest of their conversation, he said sternly, was private. Opal entered the room just as Palmer tore into Braden for his snippy response. She demanded to know what was going on. Palmer told his wife that he and Braden were discussing business and that she should "butt out." Braden filled Opal in on the news that Dixie and Tad might get back together. Opal's reaction was as opposite from Palmer's as it could get. When Braden refused to break his vow of confidence for Palmer, Palmer immediately fired Braden. The mogul told Braden that he lacked a sense of loyalty. Opal went to bat for Braden, but Palmer refused to listen to either Opal or Braden. Palmer ordered Braden to leave his property within three minutes---or he'd have to face the guard dogs. Braden cast an icy glare at Palmer, but said nothing as he cleared out of the house.

At Myrtle's, Allie sat on the sofa looking at some baby clothing she'd purchased. She seemed genuinely interested in the items, but when Jake returned home she turned her interest up a notch. Allie prevented Jake from heading upstairs to bed. She held up a little baby outfit and asked Jake for his opinion. Jake, tired from his rounds and his late-night trip to New York, told Allie that he thinks she might be a little premature with her clothing purchases. Allie nodded her head and commented that she should probably pick out her wedding dress before anything. Jake lowered his head and said nothing for several moments. He finally raised his head and told Allie that there was "not going to be a wedding." He clarified that a wedding could be possible down the road, but that in the immediate future neither one of them would be taking a walk down the aisle. Allie was concerned that her child would be born illegitimate. In Jake's mind there were more important things than worrying about technicalities. He said that he wanted to make sure that they had a future together before they started talking about a wedding. Jake could barely keep his eyes open and announced that he was turning in. After Jake went upstairs, Allie threw a tantrum. She began pounding on the boxes of clothing she'd picked up. Her tirade complete, Allie stormed out of the house.

At WRCW, Liza looked at the statuette Adam had sent her and fondly recalled Adam's request to be friends. David suddenly appeared in the doorway and asked Liza if he was getting a dressing room. Somehow, word leaked to David that his first medical segment was a huge success. In fact, he'd actually gotten a stack of fan mail already. Liza read off a few pieces of Emailed fan letters, but one in particular caught David's attention. One "fan" claimed that she was not impressed by David's performance because she'd already seen some of his work on tape. It took David little more than a few seconds to realized that Allie had sent that letter. Liza was concerned, but David told her that Allie was just a "bit off." Convinced that David was not concerned by the letter, Liza continued reading additional letters aloud. David, however, drifted off and recalled the conversation he'd had with Allie in which she threatened to bring him down if he mentioned that she was not really pregnant. David suddenly "remembered" an appointment and dashed out the door.

David showed up at Myrtle's pretending to be there to check her heart condition. When no one answered the door, David let himself inside. He called out to Myrtle and when he heard no answer, he knew that he must be alone in the house. David rummaged around hoping to find the copy of his videotaped confession that Allie claimed to have hidden somewhere. Something led David to the front closet, where he found Allie's medical bag. He dug around inside the bag and, sure enough, found the videotape. Before he could flee the scene, Jake arrived and demanded to know what David was doing. David remained calm. He slowly turned around and asked Jake if he was still a man of his word. Confused, Jake muttered that he was---but demanded to know what that had to do with anything. He warned David that he could either explain his presence to him or to the police. David asked Jake if he remembered Allie's claim that she no longer had any copies of his confession (to trying to kill Adam). Jake nodded. David held up the videotape and said that the tape represented "lie one" for Allie. Without hesitating, David said that lie number two was Allie's claim that she was pregnant. Jake scrunched up his face and asked David how he knew that Allie was not pregnant. As they watched the videotape to make sure that it was, in fact, a tape of his confession, David informed Jake that he'd seen Allie switching blood specimens in the hospital lab. After the tape finished, David dropped it on the ground and smashed it with his feet. Jake still didn't believe David until David made a comment about thinking that Dr. Clader should have picked up on the fact that Allie wasn't pregnant. Jake remembered that Dr. Clader had called Allie's pregnancy an oddity because he could find no physical evidence of pregnancy---only her blood tests showed she was pregnant.

Allie stormed into Liza's office and told her that they needed to talk. She slammed the door and looked over a copy of Liza's baby books. Liza sighed deeply and told Allie that she didn't have time to talk. Allie quipped that it would be nice for the two of them to exchange stories about their morning sickness. Liza looked directly at Allie and told her that she should see a doctor if she doesn't feel well. Illness, Allie said, is running rampant in Pine Valley. Jake had been poisoned, Allie said. Liza was very concerned for her friend and asked Allie what happened. "Jake was poisoned by you," Allie snarled. That was all that Liza needed to hear. She headed to the door and opened it. She warned Allie that if she did not leave immediately, she would call security. Allie sang her familiar tune about Liza wanting to steal Jake away from her. Liza advised Allie to seek some psychiatric counseling. "And you need to miscarry," Allie snapped. Adam burst into the room and grabbed Allie by the back of her neck. He warned her that he would strangle her if she said another word. Liza was called away to tend to work-related issues. Adam said that Allie should never, ever mention miscarriage in front of Liza---especially not while she's pregnant. Allie claimed that she was angry and just blurted it out. Perhaps, she hinted, her hormones were unbalanced due to the fact that she was pregnant too. Adam looked closely at Allie and called her a liar. He could sense that she was not pregnant. Allie made a careless slip by saying that the only that matters to her is that Jake believes that she's pregnant. By the time she realized that her slip-of-the-tongue proved that she was not really pregnant, it was too late. Adam warned Allie that he would axe the progress he'd made in reinstating her medical license. Allie, one propelled by her desire to be a doctor, now claimed that regaining her medical license came second to getting Liza out of her life. Allie warned Adam that she would spill the beans about "the great sperm switcheroo" if Liza got in her way again. Liza returned to her office and, much to her chagrin, found Allie and Adam still fighting it out. Allie received a page from Jake and called home to see what he wanted. Jake told Allie that he wanted to "talk about [their] future." Allie's eyes beamed as she assumed that Jake wanted to talk marriage. Allie headed off to Myrtle's, but not before rubbing her supposedly pending nuptials in Liza's face. Liza told Adam that she could not allow Jake to marry Allie. Adam ordered Liza not to get herself involved, but Liza appreciate being told what to do. Adam reluctantly stepped out of Liza's way and allowed her to chase after Allie. A few minutes later, Tad showed up and begged Adam to help him find Dixie.

In Braden's former apartment, Dixie still showed no signs of movement. She spent the entire night on the floor---and didn't so much as budge an inch. When she finally did come to, she remained very weak. She could barely summon enough strength to sit up. She had a vision of making her way to the Statler Building and finding Tad on the rooftop waiting for her. Dixie wanted desperately for her vision to come true. She struggled to her knees and crawled across the room. She hoped that she could grab on to a chair and pull herself up to her feet. Dixie's arms shook back and forth like saplings in a strong wind and she knew she could not support herself much longer. She reached for a book that sat atop the table and, using all of her remaining strength, threw the book at the front door. The loud thud caught the attention of a passing maintenance man. The man knocked on the door and asked if anyone was inside, but Dixie was unable to call out to him. The man used his key to unlock the front door, but before he could step inside someone started buzzing at the front door and he had to run off. Inside in a voice barely above a whisper, Dixie begged the man not to leave... but he couldn't hear her. Exhausted, Dixie once again collapsed.

Allie returned to Myrtle's with visions of wedding gowns dancing in her head. She greeted Jake with a hug, a hug that he did not return. Allie grinned from ear to ear as she asked Jake what he wanted to talk about. David stepped out from behind the corner and flashed Allie a frown. Allie looked nervously at her former lover and asked Jake why David was there. Jake offered no response. Instead, he told Allie that he wanted to talk about whether or not she was really pregnant.

First, allow me to preface today's recap with an advisory. Due to ABC's decision to cover the launch of the space shuttle much earlier than the actual launch time, only half an hour of today's show was broadcast on the East Coast. I managed to obtain the details of the final thirty minutes, but the details will be somewhat lacking. I will be getting a more thorough account of today's show from one of my helpers sometime on Friday. I will then come back and add addition information to today's recap---so you might want to come back later just to read the latest version of today's recap!

Opal and Palmer's bickering continued, but this time they had Adrian as a spectator. Adrian remarked that he thought it was wonderful for "two people so in love to risk everything to get back together." The two people he was referring to, of course, were Tad and Dixie. Opal agreed that it was very romantic. Sitting in his armchair, Palmer ordered Opal to tell her "friend" to "keep his cheap sentimentality" to himself. Adrian looked towards Opal and told her that he was sorry to see that Palmer's heart was so frozen. Palmer's heart, Opal quipped was "as hard as a TV dinner before it's been nuked." Palmer became quite belligerent, asking Opal to tell Adrian to "shut up." Belinda has the misfortune of picking that moment to enter the room. Palmer decided to leave the room, but Opal followed him out all the while continuing their argument. Belinda sat down on the sofa next to her hobbled friend and asked him why he continued to live in a marital war zone. Adrian smiled and told Belinda that he was there to "annoying Palmer for Opal's sake." His grin became a bit wider as he admitted that he was enjoying every minute of it!

At WRCW, Tad asked Adam if he'd heard anything from Dixie. Adam shrugged off Tad's concern. He said that Dixie was probably taking a train ride down the cost to look at the fall foliage. Adam, who might normally have been concerned about Dixie's whereabouts, was more interested in tracking down Allie before she spilled the beans on his fertility clinic swap. Adam also implied that Dixie might not be missing---perhaps she didn't want Tad to know where she was. Adam left, leaving Tad with more questions than answers. He took to the phones to find Dixie, but no one had seen or heard from her. Trevor appeared a few minutes later to ask Tad if the Olsen twins were still at the station filming publicity promos. Tad nodded, leading Trevor to ask if he could talk to the two young girls. Tad gave Trevor the green light to talk to the pint-size television stars. Trevor hoped that the twins could offer Amanda some support to deal with Harold's death. Mary Kate and Ashley told Amanda that they'd lost a pet when they were about Amanda's age. They assured Amanda that she would get over the pain soon, but urged her never to let go of the happy memories she and Harold had shared.

In Judge Leibowitz's courtroom, Kit began to worry that the judge would turn down her motion because she'd failed to turn up any proof that she could be Christine Montgomery. Brooke and Jack entered the courtroom and both stared coldly across the room at Kit. Erica and Dimitri were just a few footsteps behind. Jack turned around and muttered something under his breath when he saw Erica. Erica scurried over to Jack and told him that she wanted to be in attendance to offer him some moral support. Jack shook his head and did his best to make Erica see that he did not want her anywhere near him. No matter what Jack said, it seemed to go in one of Erica's ears and right out the other. Erica professed her undying love for Jack. It did her no good. Dimitri asked Jack to "cool his jets," but Jack snapped back and told Dimitri to shut up. The judge entered the room and asked Kit's attorney, Mr. Smoodin, if they'd managed to dig up any new evidence. The attorney announced that Kit wanted to address the court on her own behalf. The judge agreed and allowed Kit to address the court. Kit sadly noted that she as unable to find any proof that she was Christine Montgomery. The judge was furious with Kit for wasting a week of his time. Edmund leapt to his feet and asked for permission to address the court. The judge reluctantly agreed, but only after Edmund explained that he'd accompanied Kit to her father's house. Edmund told of Nathan's refusal to come before the court, noting that Nathan would be admitting to a felony (kidnapping) by telling the truth. Edmund then noted that he had suggested that Kit's "mother" be exhumed to perform a DNA comparison. This, of course, would have proved conclusively whether or not Kit was a Fisher. Edmund painted a romantic tale of Kit's decision not to disturb the gravesite of the woman who had raised her. Jack interjected that perhaps Kit did not want to disturb her mother's grave because she knew it would prove that she was a liar. The judge asked Jack to refrain from interrupting. Edmund added that Kit's claims could be proved quickly without having to disinter anyone---by having Jack submit to a DNA test. The judge agreed that having Jack take a DNA test was the easiest route to go. Why, he wondered, was Jack so unwilling to give thirty seconds of his time to end the matter once and for all. Jack broke his silence, saying that agreeing to take a DNA test would "legitimize [Kit's] fraudulant claims." Jack rose to his feet and announced that he had "compelling evidence" to dispute Kit's claims. The evidence came in the way of a surprise witness, the caretaker of his childhood home. Kit put her head in her hands when the white-haired gentleman entered the courtroom. The caretaker testified that he'd learned that a strange woman had been nosing around the estate asking questions about the Montgomery family. When asked if he could identify the interloper, the caretaker pointed at Kit. Edmund was furious with Kit for not having told him about her little trip to South Carolina---and growled that she'd blown her case. Jack argued that Kit's trip was only to dig up enough evidence so she could pass herself off as Christine. Kit, however, said that "natural curiosity" had drawn her to her family home. After hearing the Mr. Witherspoon's testimony, Judge Leibowitz ruled against Kit's motion to have Jack submit to a DNA test. He went one step further than just shooting down her motion---he issued a restraining order for Kit to stay away from Jack! Kit was devastated by the ruling and tried to drown her sorrows in a local bar. Her attempt to find a quite place to drink her pain away turned into another heartbreak. Tad, on his search for Dixie, showed up at the bar and immediately confronted Kit about her claim to be Jack's late sister.

Allie looked curiously as Jake and asked him why he would question her pregnancy. Allie then looked over at David and realized that he must have said something. Allie insisted that she was pregnant and used her blood test as proof of her claim. Remembering that David mentioned that he'd caught Allie swapping blood samples, Jake asked Allie whose blood tested positive for a pregnancy. Allie cast a cold glance at David and warned Jake not to believe anything that David had said. Jake asked Allie why David would lie about such a thing. Allie struggled to think of a logical explanation. She argued that David was out to destroy her life and that he'd say anything to hurt her. Jake held up the smashed videotape David had found in Allie's medical bag. Allie was backed into a corner. Jake asked Allie why she'd lied about destroying all copies of the videotape. Allie shrugged slightly and guessed that she'd forgotten to destroy one of the copies. Liza entered the house just as Jake was asking Allie if she's switched her blood sample with that of Liza's. Allie was furious when she saw Liza standing across the room. "You have to have it all, huh?" Allie snapped. She returned to her accusation that Liza was trying to steal Jake away from her. Liza shook her head and sighed slightly. Jake informed Allie that Liza was not the cause of their troubles. Now, Allie was becoming a bit too snippy for her own good. She gloated that she was pregnant and that she had not taken the "morning after" pills. David admitted that Allie had palmed the drugs, but denied being involved in her plot. Jake told Allie that he wanted to perform a blood test on her to verify whether or not she was really pregnant. Allie's face turned a pale shade of white. The walls were closing in on her little scheme. With nowhere else to turn, Allie finally admitted that she'd lied about being pregnant. She asserted that she was forced to lie about her pregnancy so that she could have a sliver of Jake's attention. Now that the truth was out, Allie felt the need to come clean on another lie. "There's something you need to know about your other baby," Allie said softly. Liza's face dropped. Before Allie could drop her bombshell, Adam entered the house. He cut Allie off with an announcement that he'd managed to get Allie's medical license reinstated. He proudly boasted of his ability to find Allie a job in Antigua, but announced that Allie had to leave with him immediately if she wanted to take advantage of the school's offer. Allie looke to Jake and asked him if he still wanted to be with her. She touted her confession as a sign that she really cared for him. Jake looked at Allie and coldly told her, "No way." Adam took Allie by the arm and escorted her out of the house. David's brown crinkled as he wondered why Adam would go out of his way to help Allie. Liza nodded in agreement and said that something definitely was not quite right.

Normally, one leafs through the pages of a magazine carefully. That's not the case if you're Gillian---and you're angry. Eugenia> entered the parlor at Wildwind and found her granddaughter skillfully tearing the pages out of a magazine. Tongue in cheek, Eugenia sat down next to Gillian and asked her how she was doing. "Just fine," Gillian snapped, prompting Eugenia to tell her granddaughter to "shred away." On his way to the gym, Ryanstopped by the parlor to check on Eugenia. Eugenia couldn't help but ask Ryan if he knew why Gillian was in such a snit. Ryan nodded. He explained that Gillian was upset with him because he refused to bow down to her and jump at her every order. Ryan said that he could not look forward to the day when he would be free of Gillian and the way she "massacres the English language." The comment drew Gillian's fire. She rose to her feet and announced that she did not care if she ever saw Ryan again. Gillian stormed out of the room, but neither Ryan nor Eugenia made any effort to stop her. Eugenia patted the cushion next to her, asking Ryan to sit down. She asked Ryan why he and Gillian would continue living together if they did nothing but "abuse" each other. "Because we're good at it?" Ryan quipped. Eugenia pulled a ring from her pocket with a huge nickel-sized diamond setting. Ryan's eyes widened in awe as he stared at the rock. Eugenia asked Ryan to tell her what he thought of when he saw the ring. Ryan muttered that he could tell by the diamond that Eugenia was a woman who enjoyed the finer things in life. Eugenia was surprised that the ring did not elicit any other reaction. Eugenia smiled coyly as she informed Ryan that the diamond was a fake. But the fact that the diamond was fake did not diminish its value---Eugenia's late husband had given her the ring. Eugenia said that he would never think of parting with the ring---but if she could have her husband back, she'd "give it up in a flash." Things got sticky when Inspector Pinkerton made a surprise visit. His eyes echoed his intensity when he asked why Mrs. Lavery was not at home. Ryan stumbled to come up with an explanation, finally claiming that Gillian was out running errands. The agent from Immigration said that it did not matter that Gillian was not there. He made no noticeable facial expression when he told Ryan that he had good news and bad news. The bad news was that government cutbacks were limiting the number of cases that the INS could track. The good news, at least for Pinkerton, was that he was not going to be affected by the cutbacks. There was, however, more good news. Pinkerton proudly announced that he'd gone to the board and argued Ryan and Gillian's case. Apparently, Pinkerton was so moved by Ryan and Gillian's "display" at the gym that he instantly knew that they were really in love with each other. The agent handed Ryan a piece of paper that announced that they'd be "deactivated"---the INS was no longer going to tail them and Gillian no longer had reason to fear deportation. The agent left, letting Ryan and Eugenia to discuss what had just happened. Ryan now knew that he could divorce Gillian without having to think about going to jail. Ryan headed upstairs to pack his bags, but he never made it past the first few steps. He told Eugenia that now that divorce was so readily available to him, he was unable to think of living his life without Gillian in it. "I'm in love," Ryan chirped gleefully. "I'm in love." Eugenia urged Ryan to track down Gillian. She remembered that Gillian had mentioned that she was going to meet someone at the bar at The Valley Inn. Ryan dashed out of the house and headed for the hotel.

Still hanging around the courtroom, Brooke told Edmund that she was surprised by Kit's reaction to the verdict. Brooke felt that if Kit was truly out for money, she would have showed a flash of anger after hearing the verdict. That wasn't the case, however. Instead, Kit looked "disappointed." Edmund admitted that he was no longer able to offer an objective opinion because he'd "become part of the story." Brooke praised Edmund's "big heart" and his desire to help Kit learn the truth about her identity. She urged him to go find Kit and help her get through the setback of the verdict. Edmund smiled slightly and thanked Brooke for being there for him. Shortly after Edmund left, Jack wandered back into the courtroom. He thanked Brooke for having encouraged him to check into Kit's past. Brooke bowed her head slightly and told Jack that she was glad that her advice had helped him---but she was now unsure if she should have offered that advice in the first place. Jack rolled his head back and looked towards the ceiling. He asked Brooke how Kit could dupe two prize-winning writers. Brooke looked Jack in the eyes and asked him why it was so hard for him to consider the possibility that Kit was telling the truth. Jack cited the caretaker's testimony that Kit had been poking around his family home in South Carolina. He then turned the pointed question to Brooke and asked her if she ever tried to bargain her life for Laura's (the infant child that Brooke lost to a drunk driver). Brooke nodded and admitted that she would have given her life for her daughter's. Jack said that he'd done that every day for years. There were no miracles... Christine's life was never restored. "I had faith," Jack said angrily. Now, that faith was gone.

In the bar, Tad and Kit continued their face-off. Kit claimed that Tad had ruined her life by offering a "biased opinion" of their past encounter in California. Tad argued that Kit was the one that had ruined her life by running scam after scam. Kit snapped that the judge had turned down her request for a DNA test thanks to Tad. Tad looked coldly at Kit and told her not to mess with him. Kit could tell by Tad's reaction that he was in an unusually bad mood. She took joy in her determination that Tad's life had been "turned upside-down" by a woman. Tad became angry---uncharacteristically angry. "Why don't you hang a sign around your neck," Tad snarled. "One slut for sale... real cheap." Kit tossed her drink in Tad's face, a move that Tad equaled when he tossed his drink at Kit. The bartender sassed that the wet T-shirt contest wasn't held until Saturday and asked them to take their fight outside. The tension lessened slightly as Kit and Tad sat down at a nearby table to continue their discussion. Kit asked Tad why he would not allow her to "reinvent herself." She said that everyone has "screwed up" and that she only wanted a chance to start over in Pine Valley. Tad snipped that Kit has started new lives in every town in which she settled down---a direct reference to her many con jobs. Tad referred to Kit as a "lying, cheating, gutter-bred tramp." Kit chugged down another glass of liquor. She looked at Tad and told him that he never had a problem with her when they were sleeping together! Finally, the reason for Tad and Kit's rift became clearer. Edmund arrived at the bar before Tad and Kit could go into further detail about their relationship. Edmund looked on and told Tad that it was time for him to go home. Tad claimed that he and Kit were discussing travel destinations and places that Kit should not go. Edmund looked at the wet spot on Tad's shirt and knew that he and Kit had not been gabbing about tropical destinations. Kit ordered another drink, prompting Edmund to warn Kit against the lure of drowning her sorrows in booze. Kit insisted on drinking and snatched the glass of liquor away from Edmund. Edmund took a deep breath and snatched back the shot glass from Kit. Slightly tipsy, Kit snapped at Edmund and asked him why he was there. Edmund smiled and told her that he wanted to help her and that all she had to do was put down her liquor and go with him. If she didn't, he would stop helping her.

Tad showed up at Myrtle's, where he and Jake discussed their failed love lives. Jake told Tad that he and Allie were history. He also took a few minutes out to bring Tad up to date on Allie's many lies. Jake surmised that the only reason Tad had shown up on his doorstep was because Dixie hadn't shown up on the rooftop. Jake laughed at Tad and Dixie's pact to not question the other if they did not show up at their meeting place. Jake looked at his brother and told him that find Dixie and work out their differences.

Spurned by her husband, Gillian sought comfort in the arms of another man. Surprisingly, however, Gillian had a startling confession to make. She admitted to David that she'd been using him for sex. She told David that she was still in love with Ryan. David turned his back to Gillian to hide the smile that had crept over his face. He tried to play himself off as hurt and Gillian bought it. She had no idea that she was being used too. Gillian told David that she'd given up on Ryan and wanted to give herself to him. "I want to fall in love with you," she cooed to the doctor. Gillian asked David if he believed that there was an alternate universe where "there's another Pine Valley---except everyone's happy and doing what they're supposed to." The pair fell into bed together and made love. There were still in the middle of their romance when Ryan knocked on the door. The pair was too involved in what they were doing to hear the knock, so Ryan opened the door and unwittingly walked in on his wife's affair.

In New York, Dixie remained motionless on the floor. She thought back to Tad's objections to her decision to donate a kidney to her half-brother, Del Hunkle. Tad was worried that parting with a kidney would compromise Dixie's health. Now, Dixie was feeling repentant for neglecting Tad's helpful advice. "Tad," Dixie said just above a whisper. "Forgive me. I'm sorry." Dixie's eyes fluttered before closing. Her neck went limp as he head fell to the floor.